Unique (Hermione x M! OC)

25. Hogsmeade Winter Trip

We're on the Hogsmeade trip before Christmas. Me and Hermione sit in the carriage wrapped up in winter clothes. Me in my signed Yankees jacket, Yankees beanie, black sweats and snow boots. Hermione's wearing her dark green coat, her pink beanie, her gryffindor scarf, black leggings and boots. Golden leans into me and I wrap my arm around her -- to keep her warm! Yeah. That's a good excuse. I still haven't told her. Just a little longer. She nuzzles her head into my shoulder. She's almost impossibly cute right now, burying her face into me. I hum a song as the carriage is pulled forward.

When we arrive, Hermione wants to start off with the Shrieking Shack, as we didn't make it last time. Ron wants to see it with us and we reluctantly agree to take him along. We stop at a gate separating us from the building by several hundred yards. "It's meant to be the most haunted building in Britain. Did I mention that?" Hermione asks. Amos, I love seeing her so excited.

"Twice." Ron says, slightly annoyed. I elbow him and he grunts at this.

"Should we move a bit closer?" She questions

"Hell yeah." I nod. We move a step forward, I start to walk more as Ron says, "Actually, it's fine from here."

"Perfect." Hermione agrees.

I lean against the fence and smirk at them. "Cowards." Hermione punches me in the shoulder and I chuckle. We freeze at rustling in the bushes and out comes Draco and his goons.

"Well, well. Look who's here. You three shopping for your dream home? Seems a bit grand for you, WeaselBee. Don't your family all sleep in one room?" Draco muses.

I sigh, catching the blonde's attention, "Your idiocy astounds me, Malfoy. Two of us are bestselling authors, one of us is friends with two bestselling authors. Maybe think before opening your mouth next time, you insufferable twat."

" Yeah, shut your mouth, Malfoy." Ron backs me up.

"Now that's not very friendly. Boys, I think we're going to have to teach Weasel-Bee to respect his superiors." The Slytherin coos.

"Hope you don't mean yourself." Hermione says, harshly.

"How dare you speak to me like that, you filthy little mud-" Suddenly a snowball pegs Draco in the side of the head, cutting him off. "Who did that?!" Two more hit him. He looks at his buddies, "Well, don't just stand there!" Crabbe and Goyle start for me, Ron and Hermione, when their knees go out and they fall face first into the snow. Draco begins to back away fearfully. "There's someone out here." I make a quick move and tackle Draco to the ground, rubbing snow in his face while an invisible force -- Harry -- takes down Draco's goons. Harry pulls him from underneath me and drags him towards the house before stopping suddenly. I stand up mocking surprise as I rejoin Hermione and Ron. Harry lets him go and Draco, Crabbe and Goyle run away. Suddenly my beanie gets pulled over my eyes. I quickly pull it back up to see him messing with Ron and Hermione. The latter's eyes widen in realization.

"Harry!" She exclaims. Harry removes the invisibility cloak and Ron releases his held breath.

"Bloody hell, Harry, that was not funny!" We all laugh as I take a step back, fake like I slipped to roll up a snowball and pelt it at Harry.

"Oh, you've done it now." Harry says. Suddenly Hermione pegs me, then Ron, then Harry.

"That's hardly fair." I groan, making two snowballs, launching them at Ron and Harry before grabbing a handful of snow, mashing it in Hermione's face and running to cover, laughing the entire way, snowballs drumming the ground around me as I desperately stride towards the bush and dive behind it. Little did I expect Hermione to be there and even less did I expect two handfuls of snow to the face. Before I can even react, she grips my collar and her lips are on mine. I freeze. She's warm, lighting a sparking fire inside of me. The world just becomes silent. It's funny, my first kiss is behind a bush, while my face is covered in snow. With Hermione Granger. Other than that last part, I imagined it much differently. I start to kiss back when-

"Hermione! Sam! We're gonna leave you behind if you don't come out now!" Ron calls. We pull apart, flustered and stand up.

As we make our way back into town, Harry tells us about how Fred and George gave him the marauders map and how it sent him through a secret tunnel, leading him here. "Those weasels! Never told me about any Marauder's Map!"

"But Harry isn't going to keep it. He's going to turn it over to Professor McGonagall, aren't you?" Hermione asks, sourly.

"Oh sure. Along with his invisibility cloak, his pack of exploding snap cards, his --"

"Oh, shut up." Hermione groans. I chuckle at this. Up ahead Cornelius Fudge emerges from a ministry sleigh as Hagrid swings the door clear and rips it clean off with ease. Fudge exits the sleigh and approaches the bartender.

"That's Madam Rosmerta. Ron fancies her." We snicker at the embarrassed ginger

"It's not true!" Ron exclaims.

"Shhh." Harry scolds.

"I trust business is good?" Fudge asks.

"It'd be a right sight better if the Ministry wasn't sending Dementors into my pub every other night."

"We have a killer on the loose." Fudge explains.

"Sirius Black? In Hogsmeade! And what would bring him here?"

"Harry Potter." Fudge replies.

"Harry Potter!" Rosmerta exclaims. They go inside followed closely by McGonagall. Harry follows them under the invisibility cloak and the other two rush forward. I already know it's no use so I sit on a bench and watch the carolers. They aren't half bad. Shortly, Ron and Hermione join me.

"I have a bad feeling about this." I whisper.

Ron nods, "Yeah, and the shrunken heads are awful..." He goes off on a tangent and I see the uncomfortable look on Hermione's face. Uncomfortable and guilty. Probably for "stealing" my first kiss. I put my hand on hers and nudge her with my shoulder and she looks up at me with a smile. Before long, she spots footprints appearing to make themselves through the snow - Undoubtedly Harry. We follow him through the town and into the woods where we hear him sobbing. Hermione and I slowly approach him. She kneels in front of him, pulls his cloak off and hands it to me.

"Harry, what happened?" Hermione asks.

"He was their friend. And he betrayed them. He was their friend!" He spits with venom, "I hope he finds me. But when he does, I'm going to be ready. When he does, I'm going to kill him!" Hermione flinches and I step forwards.

"Harry, I've been your friend for two years. I will be by your side. You're my brother now okay?" Harry nods, "You and Ron. I'm by your side. I understand how angry you are. I felt something in that ballpark when we were in the chamber. The revenge didn't ease my soul, Harry, nor will it ease yours. I wish I knew how you feel exactly. I don't. I might never truly understand. But you aren't alone, okay?" Harry nods again. "Good. Let's get you a cup of cocoa." He lingers a moment longer before getting up.